Summer Sweet

Apple

Origin/History

An old Connecticut apple, referenced as early as 1848 (Magazine of Horticulture, 14:388). By the early twentieth century it was but very seldom found in cultivation in New York (Beach).

Tree

Sources conflict slightly on vigor: Downing describes the tree as vigorous, while Beach characterizes it as moderately vigorous. Both agree it is spreading and productive. Beach adds that the tree is of medium size.

Bark, twigs, lenticels, buds, and leaves are not described in either source.

Fruit

Size: Medium.

Form: Downing describes the fruit as oblate, inclining to conic; Beach describes it as roundish oblate inclined to conic.

Skin: Yellowish, netted with russet (Downing). Beach describes it only as a yellow sweet apple without further skin detail.

Stem: Short and small (Downing).

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Closed (Downing).

Basin: Not described in source.

Flesh/Flavor: Whitish, tender, rich, and sweet (both sources). Downing adds crisp and moderately juicy.

Core: Small (Downing).

Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Ripens in September (Downing). Beach gives August and September.

Uses

Excellent for baking (Downing).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

The variety appears in pomological literature under the synonym Summer Sweeting (Magazine of Horticulture, 1848).

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 1 catalog (1904)

OSU Bulletin 81 — 1904

View original book sources (2)

Summer Sweet.

An old Connecticut Apple. Tree vigorous, very spreading, and productive.

Fruit medium, oblate, inclining to conic, yellowish, netted with russet. Stalk short and small. Calyx closed. Flesh whitish, crisp, tender, moderately juicy, rich, sweet. Excellent for baking. Core small. September.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

SUMMER SWEET.

REFERENCES. 1. Mag. Hort., 14:388. 1848. fig. 2. Cole, 1849:97. 3. Hooper, 1857:87. 4. Downing, 1869:372.

SYNONYMS. SUMMER SWEET (2, 3, 4). SUMMER SWEETING (1).

A yellow sweet apple ripe in August and September. The tree is of medium size, moderately vigorous, spreading, productive. Fruit medium size, roundish oblate inclined to conic; flesh whitish, tender, rich, sweet (2, 4).

Historical. An old Connecticut apple (1, 2, 4) now but very seldom found in cultivation in New York.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Summer Sweeting Hightop Sweet Hightop King Sweet